Pink as a Fall Colour?

The bright yellows & oranges signal summer edging into autumn.  Harvest colours, right?  Why consider anything else?

CU Colchicum grouping 1, garden Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC, Pacific Northwest olchicum - fall crocus.
photo by SVSeekins

It really seems to clash, but how about boasting soft pink for their fall decoration?

One of my favourites is colchicum.   The lovely blooms are such a surprise when they pop up out of nowhere.  Why aren’t they clothed in leaves?  It’s getting chilly at this time of year!

WS - September colchicum garden Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC, Pacific Northwest
photo by SVSeekins

That’s why I think their common name suits them so much better: Naked Ladies. Don’t you?

C had figured out the leaf mystery when living on Cedar Hill.  He pointed out the wide, lush leaves showing so much potential in early spring.

ms - spring colchicum circling the birdbath garden Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC, Pacific Northwest
photo by SVSeekins

Later, when they died back in May without ever blooming, he commented on how they were a waste.  Perhaps a failed spring bulb?

It wasn’t until early September that the Naked Ladies appeared out of nowhere.

Realistically, it might have even been a couple of seasons before he reached the “Ah-ha!” moment, but he did.   🙂

PS' row of colchicum, fall crocus, garden Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC, Pacific Northwest
photo by SVSeekins

The deer don’t seem impressed by them in either season, so that’s been another advantage.

It was a no-brainer that we had to have lots of colchicum at the Richmond House.

Now I have to find a way to get soft pink not to clash with the bright yellow of the Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia). Perhaps adding something bright purple?   Any ideas?

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Here are some other pink autumn bloomers:

© copyright 2012 SVSeekins